Dee's a Daddy!
by 1Pagan3
Summary: AU! Sequel to Dee's Daddy. Dean's been saved from the pit and now he has to piece together the sudden appearance of his son while trying to figure out how to save his brother.
1. Chapter 1

AN: I know... what am I doing starting another one, right? Well, you can thank Sammygirl1963 for this one... I mentioned the idea and she twisted my arm - really, she did! Anyhow, I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Kripke's creation... just borrowing it... I am planning on giving it back... uh... sometime. ;)

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He had no idea what to do about this, really… he didn't. One minute he was having a wonderful time with a beautiful girl by the name of Alisa… Allison… uh, Ashley? The next minute he was being told what an unfit parent he was as he was tossed out of the seedy bar and landed quite spectacularly on his ass in front of a little boy not even four years old, and getting the shock of his life.

"Sammy!?!" Dean exclaimed as he looked at the small boy with dark green eyes and curly brown hair, in horror.

"Daddy, I's sowwy… I gots scawed in the 'pala!" the little boy cried before throwing himself into his daddy's arms, leaving the man completely speechless for a moment before he let loose the only thing that came to mind.

"Well Hell!"

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Dean watched the sun begin its path over the horizon letting him know that another day was beginning and if there was any time to test out his theory it was now. Turning his back to the window he looked at the bed on the other side of the room where a small child slept soundly, almost oblivious to the world around him.

'Ok, so it wasn't some weird assed dream then.' He thought sourly as he tried to piece together what was actually going on. He couldn't get rid of the feeling that he was missing a very important piece of the puzzle, but with the only one who could help him find it being either asleep or missing, he wasn't holding out too much hope in getting the answer he needed soon.

He had no idea how suddenly he was across the room running his fingers through the dark curls, but he had to admit it wasn't as freaky as he initially thought when he heard the boy call him 'Daddy', in fact he had to admit it had a nice ring to it. Unfortunately, the only thing he knew about the kid was he responded to the name Sammy and thought he was his dad.

Sighing, Dean turned back towards the window and felt a spear of shock run through him when he saw who was in the room as well.

"What the hell – you definitely have a death wish." Dean spat out as he marched to the demon and grabbed her jacket on the way to the door.

Ruby didn't like to be manhandled, but right now she had other things to worry about. "Nice to see you too shortbus. I take it you don't like my gift?" she said with disgust as she pulled away from Dean's grasp.

Puzzled, it took Dean a moment to make any sort of sense from the words the demon said. "You did this? What, you think you can just walk in here and change people into…"

"Into what Dean, huh? You have no clue what you're dealing with and already you think you know best? Let me tell you something, if I hadn't done what I did, Sam would be dead right now." Ruby said before looking towards the bed. "Look, I'll give you the short and sweet version. Lilith still wants Sam's head on a pike, Sam wasn't prepared for the little surprise she had planned for him last night while you were playing Casanova, I improvised that spell that little so called witch used on you and presto – instant Sammy Winchester, only son to the one and only Dean Winchester - widower in some obscure universe. Now do you get it? The only way to save him was to… change him, or merge him, or – whatever. I'm not saying it's not without flaws…" seeing Dean's suspicious look she decided to give him what she knew. "Look Dean, when Sam got his little girl, she was from a whole family and everything was great – she had her grandparents, mom and dad, even Uncle Dean with his family. Where I pulled this Sammy from – let's just say, the war is already waging and the humans aren't faring well."

Stunned, Dean backed up a bit before he sat heavily on the other bed before turning around and taking another look at the small boy in still sleeping. "He looks just like…"

"Yeah, I know. Look I don't know all the details and I probably shouldn't have done it, but it couldn't be helped. Either this happened, or he died." Ruby said sadly. She wasn't sorry she did it, but she was sorry for whatever pain it might cause Sam. "I'm out of here, Lilith won't stay fooled for long, but from what I can tell you did well in trying to shield him – in fact, I can barely tell he's there."

It didn't take much effort for Dean's patience to disappear and he was off the bed ready to attack when he noticed that she was already gone.

"Damn it!" he yelled, not thinking about the sleeping boy. When he turned back around though, he was in for a surprise when he saw alert eyes watching him. "Hey there… uh… sorry about that. Look kid, I think you and I need to have a little talk, don't you?"

"Sure Daddy, watchu wanna talk 'bout?" the little boy asked while watching everything around him with wide eyes.

Whatever Dean had wanted to say flew out the window as soon as Ruby's words caught up with him. It was the same spell that had been used on him several months ago, and although he was thankful not to be in the pit, he had his own set of nightmares to contend with – namely life as a four year old little girl who thought the sun and moon set on her daddy. He didn't remember much, and when he did it was while he was sleeping, but the bits of pieces he got were clear and he felt every emotion so strongly from that little girl that it gave him a whole other insight to what he needed to do.

Sighing, Dean ran his hand through his hair and walked over to the boy who looked so much like his little brother at that age. "So... uh… Sammy… how about you and me go get some breakfast, ok?"

"K Daddy, then we's goin' to see Aunt Ell-en?" Sammy asked innocently as he watched the other man carefully.

"Tell you what, you eat all your breakfast and I'll take you to see a friend of mine… Bobby. He'll be able…"

Sammy's eyes got big, as in saucer sized, before he suddenly asked in a quiet gasp. "Wif th' angels, Daddy?"

It took a moment for Dean to realize that what he was seeing wasn't awe at the idea of seeing an angel, but fear, and he couldn't help but understand that that was so wrong somehow. "Sammy, what's wrong with angels?" he asked, hoping for more information to help him in this insane situation.

"You know Daddy… some are _bad_!" Sammy whispered as if telling some horrendous secret that should never have come out of his mouth.

Dean looked at the boy in front of him and wondered just what this kid had seen in his short life. Deciding that interrogating the munchkin wasn't going to help the situation, he held out his hand and waited until the boy jumped off the bed and grasped the larger hand with his tiny one. "How about you and me eat first, then you can tell me all about it, ok? Then I'll take you to visit with Bobby and you won't have to worry about angels there, ok?" Seeing the contemplative look on the four year olds face, he was starting to think that his suggestion would be rejected.

"K Daddy, I loves you!" the little boy beamed before turning his attention to the window and began to watch it warily, as if he knew what great secrets it held while everyone else was clueless.

'Oh yeah, this'll be fun.' Dean thought as he grasped little Sammy's hand tighter and they began their short walk towards the diner, unaware that they were being watched from the alley across the street.

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Bobby had no idea what to expect when Dean called the day before practically begging for a place to crash until he could 'figure this kid out.' He didn't know when Sam had become 'this kid', but he had a feeling that there was a story to go along with it. As he looked around the house he tried to remember what he was forgetting, but for the life of him he couldn't place it. He'd already made sure the upstairs bedroom was ready for the boys' visit, gone to the store to make sure there was enough food for all of them for the next week at least in case whatever was going on had them holed up for awhile, he freshened the wards and even put a few new blessings in place to make sure nothing sneaked in and caught them unawares. It didn't take long to get everything ready, but more time to make it look like he hadn't given a damn if they showed up or not – there was no way he was going to get a reputation for being soft.

He was just about to make another go around the house to figure out what he was forgetting, but the sound of the very familiar Impala brought him back the immediate problem at hand – what had Dean running scared?

Opening the door and stepping out onto the small porch at the side of the house he squinted a bit at the bright light that the afternoon sun brought. He wasn't ready for the tense man who stepped out of the black car, and wondered just what had him in that mood when the passenger door slowly opened and a small boy climbed out – a small boy who looked just like Sam!

"Dean – what the…" Bobby began but stopped as he saw the child's reverent expression. "Sammy?" he asked softly, wondering what was going through this tiny version's mind.

"You's awive Uncle Bobby?" Sammy asked, amazed at what he was seeing right there in front of him.

Flabbergasted, Bobby had no idea what to think about that especially when he heard Dean's patient response.

"See kiddo, I told you Uncle Bobby was alive here. You need to give your old man some credit, ok?" Dean said with a slight smile as he gently guided the small Winchester up the steps. "Hey Bobby, you got anything to drink for two road weary travelers?"

Nodding, Bobby stood to the side and motioned them inside, unsure exactly what was going on or how they were going to fix it.

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Dean wasn't sure how much more either he or the little Sammy could take. The past twenty four hours had hit hard and his mind was still spinning at what he'd already found out, but his stomach wanted to rebel at the thought that he didn't have all the answers yet.

Yesterday was an interesting experience as the whole time they were at the diner Sammy wouldn't stray further than two inches from him, would only eat from his 'Daddy's' plate while completely refusing to order something separate, and anytime someone would come within three feet of them the small boy would say "Cwisto!" making him wonder once again just what the kid had already seen in his three or four years. Thinking about yesterday brought a whole new set of heartbreak when he suddenly remembered their stop at the small motel right off the highway.

"_Ok Sammy, since we're staying here tonight I need to do a few things to the room to make sure…"_

"…_we's safe Daddy, I knows. I's helps too, 'member?" Sammy asked with wide eyes as he reached into his daddy's bag and grabbed the canister of salt and slowly but meticulously laid out the salt lines along the door and windows before running as fast as he could to the bathroom where he somehow managed to climb up and do the same to the windowsill above the bathtub._

_Shocked, Dean could only stare at how well the boy had done it before he felt a heavy sense of sadness that no child that small should know how to do that so well. That thought was driven away at remembering how he would watch his dad lay out the salt lines while he would take care of Sammy. It wasn't until another year had passed before he was allowed to help and he had thought himself so grown up then that he hadn't even wondered just how messed up the whole situation was – his main thought had been how he was big enough to help keep Sammy and their Daddy safe. Now as he looked at a smaller version on himself, he wanted to scrub that memory clean and replace it with a new one – one that had him, Sammy and their Dad playing happily in their backyard while a small puppy chased its tail in the background._

"_Daddy, I's done." Sammy said happily before he put the container back in the exact spot it came from._

_Dean was about to give the small boy an appreciative amount of praise when he saw that same boy practically dive back into the bag. It didn't take long for Sammy to come back up for air, and what was in the boy's hand made Dean want to swipe it away and hide it. The knife that he normally put under his pillow was now nestled in the tiny hands before it was put very carefully under the pillow of the bed closest to the door. "Uh, thanks Sammy – you did good little dude, real good."_

_Puzzled, Sammy looked at his daddy for a moment. "I's just did what's I's 'posed to Daddy."_

_Sadly, Dean sat in the chair next to him and motioned for Sammy to sit on his lap. When the little boy was nestled close Dean suddenly realized that he had no idea what to do or say next. If this was his little brother then he'd know immediately what the little guy was feeling and why, but this was his son if Ruby was right – a son that he didn't know, that he knew nothing about. Sighing, he tightened his hold on the small body and noticed something that he should have been aware of a lot sooner – the kid was as tense as a bow string. Rubbing the small back, he started to hum a tune he'd heard somewhere but hadn't really paid attention to, just something slow and soft and with enough of a rhythm that if he did it right… the small boy… would… fall… asleep…_

_After placing Sammy into the furthest bed, Dean stood back and watched the small boy and understood that some things were beyond him until he got some more information. Placing a quick phone call to the only person he knew he could trust he made sure that it was alright to barge into Bobby's life but didn't give too many details. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling that they were being watched and any information over the phone right now could be overheard. Feeling a bit more confident about the situation, he pulled the chair to the middle of the room and sat vigil throughout the night, determined not to allow anyone or anything to hurt what was his._

Now he was watching the little boy climb on a chair to get a glass out of a cabinet that he shouldn't know a damn thing about, and that thought was enough to make him wonder if the whole damn universe thought the Winchester's were nothing but play toys born only for the amusement of the great cosmos. Sighing, he walked over and got the glass that was being stubborn by not jumping into Sammy's hand.

"Here you go kiddo. How about I help you with the milk, ok?" Dean asked as he scooped Sammy up into his arms and made his way to the refrigerator. He couldn't help but notice just how thin the little boy was and had started to wonder how to fix that when Sammy spoke up and another piece fell into place.

"Uncle Bobby has milk Daddy?" Sammy asked, not believing such a wild tale. When he saw the refrigerator door open and he saw for himself the large bottle that sat there, his eyes got huge. "Can I's has some, peese Daddy?"

Shocked by the pleading quality in Sammy's voice, Dean could only nod and pulled the container out and somehow managed to pour the milk in the glass and not all over the floor or the small boy. He stood there and watched in amazement as Sammy drank the whole glass without coming up for air. "Dude, slow down – breathe a minute." Dean said more concerned that the kid was going to choke, but he suddenly felt like an ass as he saw that his words had been misinterpreted.

Sammy looked down at his empty glass with sadness. "I's sowwy Daddy, I didn' mean to be bad."

Dean looked over and saw the sadness in Bobby's face and he had to agree – no one should feel bad for doing something so natural, especially a child. "Hey buddy, look at me. I'm not mad. I just thought you might choke drinking it so fast, ok? How about another glass full and this time you drink it slower with cookies, ok?"

The shocked look on Sammy's face didn't go unnoticed on either of the grown men's faces, but neither said anything about it. Instead, they both watched in awe as the small boy drank two more glasses of milk before finally sitting back in his chair and announced, "I's done, Daddy."

Neither one was prepared for what happened next though after they suggested Sammy go and lay down for awhile. While Dean and Bobby were expecting Sammy to go upstairs, instead he opened the basement door and disappeared inside. Worried if not downright panicked, they both rushed off after the small boy and stood in horror as they saw Sammy open the panic room and settle himself into the small bed as if he'd done it his whole life.

"Sammy, what the hell are you doing?" Dean yelled out, scaring the boy in front of him. "We told you to go and take a nap – what are you doing in here?"

Large tears streamed down Sammy's face before he could even begin to explain, confused at what he'd done wrong. "Bbbbut Dddaddy, tthis is where I's away's seep. Yyyou says I's safe here awwways."

The thought that slammed into Dean's brain wasn't hard to decipher, it was plain, simple and to the point. 'What the hell?' The reality that this small boy had come from had to be completely out of control for his other self to feel the need to lock up his little boy in a demon free safe room anytime the kid would be out of sight for any length of time.

"Ah, c'mere Sammy." Dean said as he crouched down to the boy's level. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, I didn't know. But you need to know something, and I need you to listen really well, ok? You are safe here. You don't have to go into the panic room any time you want to take a nap or play, ok? While me and Bobby are here, nothing bad's going to get you. Do you understand?" Seeing that he wasn't going to get an actual answer, he picked Sammy up and held him close while going back through the basement and up the stairs until he found his way to the room they normally used when visiting. It took a few minutes to calm the little boy down, but in those few minutes Dean finally understood – this was his son, his little boy, and there was no way in hell anyone or anything was going to scare or hurt him again.

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AN: Ok, if you don't like it... let me know... I can always delete it and try again later. Oh, but if you like it... let me know too... so I can keep going. :)


	2. Chapter 2

Bobby wasn't sure what to think. The incident with the milk, the horrific understanding about the panic room, hell… even the knowledge that the kid thought he was dead spoke volumes about the way this Sammy Winchester lived his life. Unfortunately that didn't help him at the moment as he tried to figure out what to do about it. It hadn't taken long after the little tyke fell asleep that Dean had filled him in on the little amount that he knew about what Ruby had done and why, but that little amount told him enough to know that whatever the demon had meant to do had backfired. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair and reached for the phone, surprised when the it began to ring even before his hand picked up the receiver.

"Yeah, Bobby here."

"_Hello Bobby. I'm glad they made it safely to you. Can you keep them both safe until I can figure out how to reverse what Ruby did?"_

"Lillian, I was just about to call you. I take it you can put everyone back to where they belong?" Bobby asked, feeling at least a tiny amount of apprehension leave him as he cradled the receiver on one shoulder and reached for a note pad with his other arm.

The sound of a heavy sigh traveled across the phone lines before the unexpected answer followed. _"I don't know. What I did for Dean was straightforward, what Ruby did… well let's just say she wasn't the greatest of witches when she was alive and now…"_ the pause dragged out until Bobby thought maybe they had gotten disconnected. _"now I have no idea if I can piece together exactly what she did. But Bobby, I can tell you this – there are echoes of what she did and that shouldn't happen. Something is wrong and I'm worried."_

Forgetting the paper, Bobby almost dropped the phone. "Echoes? What type of echoes?" he asked as his attention was suddenly diverted to the younger man standing in front of him. Knowing that Dean heard part of the conversation, there was no point in hiding the rest of it. "Is something wrong with Sam? Isn't he supposed to be stuck in limbo like Dean had been?"

"_That's the problem Bobby. From what I'm hearing, Lilith has figured out a way to pry her way into it. We need to get this reversed fast; otherwise we could lose both Sam and Sammy."_

"Damn it!" Bobby bellowed before he turned to Dean. "We need to find Ruby – quick!"

Lillian took a deep breath, knowing that what she was doing was another step closer to taking sides than the neutrality she had promised to keep years ago. _"Bobby, she is going to have to use a lot of power to do it – there will be signs everywhere, we'll know when she begins."_

That thought didn't help Bobby's demeanor any, and the more he thought about it the more he was sure that this was going to be the catalyst to break this war wide open – one way, or another.

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Dean wasn't sure how it happened. Sure he was used to hunting demons, that was his job after all. He just couldn't remember a time that he was looking for a demon without actually wanting to kill it. "Damn it, our lives are too weird." He said softly while driving the Impala and trying hard not to think about his little brother being in danger and him sitting on his ass not able to do anything about it.

When Bobby told him about the conversation he had with Lillian, he had hoped it was some sort of demented joke. Who would have thought that Ruby could have screwed up so spectacularly. Sighing, he checked the time and knew he needed to get back to Bobby's so Sammy wouldn't worry about him. That thought struck him hard, especially knowing that his Sam always worried about him.

Making a U-turn, he sped down the road hoping that the answer would make an appearance soon because he had no idea what to do to help his brother wherever he was, and that really did sit wrong with him.

It didn't take long to get back to Bobby's place and even less time to smell the food that was being cooked inside. Upon entering he was even more shocked when he noticed a certain little boy wasn't present.

"Hey Bobby, where's Sammy?" he asked, wondering if maybe he just missed seeing the little guy.

Pausing in putting some of the vegetables into serving bowls, Bobby motioned upstairs. "He hasn't come down yet. Hurry up and get him so we can eat before this stuff cools off too much."

Nodding, Dean ignored the fact that it looked like Bobby had cooked enough for a small army, and instead made his way up the stairs to bring his son down to dinner. Sighing, he wasn't exactly sure if he would ever really get used to the idea of being a father, but right now he didn't have time to dwell on that little fact. Opening the door, he was surprised to see Sammy sitting quietly in the darkened room staring at nothing.

"Sammy? Hey buddy… you ok?" he asked all the while knowing that there was no way the little guy was ok if his pallor was anything to go by. "Sammy… hey little dude, come here." It didn't take long to walk across the room and pull the frightened child into his arms. "It's ok buddy, I'm here now… everything's ok."

"Daddy, I's staed here 'till you gots back… jus' like you says." Sammy said quietly before looking up at his daddy with wide, scared eyes.

It took a moment for Dean to understand the implication of what little Sammy said and once he understood that he could have kicked himself for being ten times the fool. "Aw Sammy, I didn't mean that you couldn't come downstairs when you woke up. I'm so sorry little guy, forgive me?"

Nodding, Sammy hugged his Daddy and allowed himself to be picked up and carried down the stairs. It wasn't until they turned into the kitchen where a whole table full of food was laid out that he tensed again and sucked in a breath of air so quickly he almost choked on it.

"Hey there buddy, how about you sit down right there and we'll get down to business of eating this food, ok?" Bobby said jovially as he prepared a plate for Sammy and placed it in front of a chair with a stack of books already in place to help the youngest Winchester sit at the table. Seeing the tears well up in the little boy's face, Bobby couldn't help but feel concern build up within him. "Sammy, what's wrong boy?"

"Bbbbut…whats we goin' to eat tomowwow?" Sammy cried out, clearly upset about what he was seeing.

Dean tensed up slightly when he heard the answer, and felt yet again one more piece slide into place giving him a better glimpse of what life was like where this Sammy was growing up. "Sammy, hey buddy, look at me. We have plenty of food here, ok? That's why Bobby cooked it, so we could enjoy it." Dean quietly said patiently as he rubbed the little boy's back. "I bet there's even some milk with your name on it, isn't that right Bobby?"

"Nuh uh… we's suppos' to share Daddy… not evwy one get milk." Sammy said, shocked by the suggestion that there was milk just for him.

"Sammy, here you can have all the milk you want, ok? Right here and right now there's plenty of milk and food – if you're hungry, you eat, ok?" Dean asked as he tried to convey this one important message to the little boy in his arms. "You have to eat, you're too skinny." He said as he tickled Sammy until finally there was a tiny giggle.

The rest of dinner was a quiet affair, with both Bobby and Dean putting together a scenario that neither one liked. Obviously Ruby wasn't joking when she had said that the human population wasn't faring well, but to think that there was a food shortage made them both cringe at the implications.

Dean thought about how Sammy had only eaten off his daddy's plate and it suddenly made some sort of sick sense. If food was scarce, then even a diner would only have so much to give out each day, if that often. Sighing, he couldn't help but wonder how his other persona was dealing with it all. Finally he decided they needed some answers and there was only one person who could tell them. He waited until the leftovers were placed in the refrigerator and everyone had settled into the living room.

"Hey Sammy, I was hoping you could tell us about yourself. You know, about your mommy and daddy and what you see when you go outside." Dean began, noticing Sammy's puzzled look, but decided to head the questions off before they even began. "Let's call it a game. You tell me what you know and I can tell how observant you've been, ok?" he asked, ignoring the disapproving glare coming from Bobby.

"The 'pala's not as shiny an' the inside is tore up but we seeps there sometimes when you's tinks it ok. The demons don' like us and we's gots to keep moving lots an' lots. Uncle Bobby died when he didn' tell 'em where we's was… I's miss you Uncle Bobby. You's sad 'cause of Uncle Sammy, but you's don' say so… sometimes I's hears you talkin' to him but he's not there." Sammy sighed before he looked at both men. "I's don' has a mommy, jus' likes you's Daddy."

The stunned silence lingered throughout the room before Bobby had to ask his own question. "Hey Sammy, why isn't there enough food?"

" 'Cause Liwith make sure that the demons do their jobs. On'y people who does wha' she want get more."

Taking a deep breath, Dean wanted to run out and take care of Lilith once and for all. It was bad enough that she was tormenting them in this universe, but to take it out on others in some other weird sort of alternate reality was almost too much for him to take. One way or another, she needed to die – the only problem was how?

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The person who watched as nightfall descended upon the house knew neither warmth nor cold, his only concern was what lay inside. His orders were to observe only, but the need to know more of what was going on inside was tempting enough to put those orders to the side. He would have gladly disregarded those orders except for the knowledge of what would happen to him if he disobeyed. So for now, he continued to watch… and wait.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: I hope you all are still enjoying this... let me know. Oh and one other thing... this is a very intense THANK YOU to Sammygirl1963 who has not only enthusiastically prodded me to do this story, but has also found mistakes that would have been more than a little embarassing... thanks so much, I couldn't do this without you.

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Dean woke to sunlight shining in his eyes and a small ball of warmth attached to his side. Looking down he saw his bro… no, _son_… asleep next to him and he had to smile at the sight of the little boy whose curls were covering his eyes. Last night had proven to be a bit difficult especially when it was time to head for bed and Sammy refused to be in a different bed than his daddy. At first he had been apprehensive, but it didn't take long for the familiar feeling to settle within him and he felt right with the world as the small body snuggled close and quickly fell asleep.

The events of yesterday tried to creep in on his thoughts, but he wanted to have a little more time in digesting what he and Bobby had been discussing. Of course the thought of his brother Sam being in danger suddenly jumped into his brain and caused a sequence of events including the feeling of guilt that it took a little longer to actually get his emotions under control. He had no idea what was going on in any other part of the world, here or otherwise, but something occurred to him right before he succumbed to sleep – it was time to show little Sammy that there was good in the world.

"Hey sleepyhead, time to get up." Dean said quietly as he ran his fingers through his son's curls and smiled when he saw the dark eyes finally open and look up at him expectedly.

"Hi Daddy." Sammy whispered, his mouth dry from sleeping so long. "Is we late?"

Not understanding the question, Dean could only shake his head before asking, "Late for what kiddo?"

"Don' know… jus' late."

Laughing, Dean tightened his hold on the boy before sitting up. "Nope, not late at all. How about we get changed then go downstairs and see what Bobby has for breakfast, ok?" Seeing the hesitant agreement in Sammy's eyes, his earlier decision seemed more sound. Looking in the chest of drawers, he finally found a pair of pants and t-shirt that had seen better years, but looked like they would fit his boy. "Good thing Uncle Bobby doesn't throw anything out, huh kiddo?" he asked as he turned around with the clothes in hand and stood in shock at the small body in front of him.

Not only was Sammy smaller than he initially thought, but the range of tattoo's already on his small frame was staggering. The most prominent one was an exact replica of the one's he and Sam had on their chests to stop demonic possession, there were other smaller ones that were obviously for protection from an array of diety's, but what really got him though was the small symbols that he recognized from when Sam had put them on the car to make it into a sort of supernatural lock box so demons couldn't get inside.

It took him a moment to see that Sammy had already taken the clothes and gotten dressed before staring back at him. 'Damn it, I need to get it together.' He thought as he held out his hand and walked with Sammy down the stairs, pondering what he'd just seen with Ruby's words echoing in his ears – 'You've done a good job shielding him, I can barely tell he's there.' Now he understood just how bad it was in Sammy's world and he solidified his resolve that while he had his son with him, he'd make sure that he was happy – he knew somehow that Sam would understand and agree wholeheartedly.

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Bobby hadn't slept all night but he wasn't about to complain. After what he'd learned from the little boy upstairs he didn't think he was ever going to complain again. Hearing movement above him he started towards the kitchen determined to make sure that a certain little someone had a decent breakfast in him for once. Placing the skillet on the stove he started with the bacon before reaching over and cracking the eggs into a bowl with some milk and butter. He didn't cook like this too often, but when he did he liked to go back to the old school of doing things like his grandma showed him. It didn't take long before he was draining the grease and putting in the eggs where they cooked up scrambled, nice and moist. He had just finished putting the pitcher of juice on the counter when both Dean and Sammy walked in.

"Hey you two, I was wondering if I was going to have to eat all this myself." Bobby teased as he once again fixed Sammy a plate and placed it on the table. He watched as the boy looked uncertain for a moment, but at Dean's smile and nod quickly dove in as if he'd never had his own food before. Sadly, he suddenly realized that that might have been the truth. He was suddenly pulled out of his musings when Dean put his hand on his shoulder.

"Hey Bobby, I hope you don't mind, but we're going to be gone most of the day but should be back around supper time." Dean said with a proud smile on his face.

Knowing that Dean was up to something, Bobby snorted before replying. "As long as you two don't forget that this isn't some sort of hotel or anything. You two got plans I don't know about?" he grunted while watching Sammy eat his breakfast and drink his juice before looking up expectedly. "Hey buddy, you ready for more?" he asked as he was already scooping more to place on the boy's plate.

Smiling, Dean knew he was doing the right thing. "Oh yeah… we're going to have a blast aren't we buddy?" he asked Sammy and smiled when the boy looked at him confused. "Oh that's right… you don't know… this is the official Daddy and Son day. That means you and me have the whole day to ourselves and whatever we want to do, we get to."

"Nuh uh…" Sammy said with his mouth hanging open in shock. He never heard of such a day and the thought of doing whatever they wanted sounded just so… wrong somehow. Swallowing the mouth full of food he began again. "But Daddy… wha' 'bout demons who is chasin' us?" he asked.

Dean's smile froze for a moment before it got bigger and he reached over to ruffle his boy's hair. "Nope… no worrying about that today, ok kiddo?"

Still unsure about what to think about his daddy at the moment, Sammy nodded. "K Daddy."

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It hadn't taken long for Dean to understand how new everything was for little Sammy. The boy seemed amazed by everything and even commented on how shiny and new everything looked, even the older buildings that hadn't been used in quite awhile. A feeling of sadness descended on him a moment before he pulled himself together by remembering what the day was actually about. Seeing a store up ahead, he quickly found a parking space and helped Sammy out of the Impala and into the small kid's store, ignoring the gasp of surprise from the little boy by his side.

"Oh what a cute little boy you have." The proprietor said in delight. "You take all the time you need and let me know if you need any help, ok?"

Suddenly he was very thankful that he had driven to the next town from Bobby's since he knew Sammy wouldn't have been in the mood for nosy questions. Here though they could look at as many outfits or toys as they wanted without being disturbed. He watched Sammy look at the shelves of toys and books in awe and wondered how many, if any, his little boy actually had. He was just about to ask when he noticed that the small child in question hadn't moved away from a remote helicopter and was staring at it with a mixture of amazement and fear.

"Sammy you ok?" Dean asked as he walked closer. "Hey buddy what is it, you want that?"

Shaking his head, Sammy turned towards his daddy. "No tank you… I wode in one an' didn' like it."

Something told Dean that the reason why his son had rode in a helicopter and didn't like it had a lot to do with the demons that had been chasing him and his daddy. "Hey you know, I saw some things I thought you might like over here. How about you try them on then you can pick out a toy before we go to our next stop, ok?"

Following his daddy to the clothes rack he saw bright new clothes hanging on the hangers and stood there waiting for someone to tell him that those weren't for him. When he saw the happy look on his daddy's face, he smiled and held out his arms to take the clothes. It didn't take long for them to find out that most of the clothes mostly fit and that a belt and denim jacket hid the parts that drooped in the wrong places. Feeling as if he was in a dream, Sammy wasn't sure what he was supposed to do when he was told he could pick out a toy, but he looked at each one for a moment before going to the next one. He bypassed the army men since they reminded him of his daddy's friends who were still fighting the demons, he used shell casings sometimes to build things so blocks really didn't hold his interest, the helicopter still sent shivers down his spine, and the clay and finger paints he knew would make a huge mess. Sighing he was about to give up until he saw something that made him wonder why he hadn't seen it before. He had seen a smaller one once that a little girl had and mocked him for not having something as wonderful as she had… but this one was better and had its own solid wood case to hold everything in its proper place… and… it was shiny, new and maybe, if his daddy would let him have it… his.

Dean knew exactly when Sammy found that something that he wanted, the kid actually shone with excitement at the idea of having the art set, and he couldn't think of one single reason to tell him no. "Hey buddy, you find something?" he asked, hoping to pull his little boy out of whatever musings he had tossed himself into. He wasn't disappointed when Sammy nodded his head and hesitantly reached for the art set that wasn't on display and looked expectantly at him. "Hey, that's pretty cool. Think you can draw your old man a picture?" he couldn't help but smile at the enthusiastic nod his boy was giving him and he laughed as he motioned towards the cash register. "Well come on little dude, time to pay for all this stuff and head back out."

Sammy watched in amazement as his daddy handed the lady a large amount of money as if it was no big deal. He didn't know where his daddy got all that money, but he was going to try to make sure that he didn't have to spend anymore on him – that was only fair, right?

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Dean couldn't believe how good it felt to do this. Sure, the money he was spending had come from hustling more than a few games of pool along with what had been left over from Bela, but that was ok – in his eyes, this was more important than just surviving in this world, right now he was helping someone actually live in it.

As he carried the bags that were full of new clothes he couldn't help but see his little brother in his son, how anytime Sam had a new pair of anything he treasured it until the thing was beyond repair and even then he'd try to find a way to hang onto it. Now as he watched Sammy clutch his new art set and continuously shoot looks to his brand new clothes, Dean could tell that this little boy would do the exact same thing.

"Hey Sammy, how about you and I put this stuff in the car and get some ice cream from across the street?" Dean asked, completely taken by surprise by the answer he received.

"No tank you Daddy, I don' need anymore…reawy." Sammy said happily. He couldn't believe the day he was having already and couldn't imagine his daddy able to make it even better by finding him ice cream too – how much would that cost anyway?

Frowning, Dean thought that over a moment before opening the Impala's trunk and carefully placed the bags inside, not wanting Sammy to think he didn't care about them. As he stood there he noticed a pair of wide green eyes watching him carefully and he had a hunch that being Sammy's daddy was a lot like being Sam's brother. Motioning to the small boy, he crouched lower and pulled out his wallet. "I want to show you something buddy." He said quietly as he opened the billfold and showed the boy what was inside. "Now normally I don't have this much with me, but I want you to remember something, ok? As long as you're with me or Uncle Bobby, you won't go hungry, you'll have clothes to wear and if in all that we have a chance to have some fun then we're doing it, got it?" he saw the amazed expression on his little boy's face and he wondered if he actually got through to him. Finally he heard a small voice ask a question that showed him that he made the right choice.

"Do's you tinks dey has stwawbewwy, Daddy?"

"You betcha kiddo – tons and tons of it. How about we go see how much of it we can eat, ok?" Dean asked as he scooped up his son and took off across the street.

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Bobby was glad he had a few hours to himself, not that he didn't enjoy the company, it was just too much information had been learned and he was having a bit of trouble sorting it out and finding a way to use it. Little Sammy was a wealth of information, but then again he was at the most four and the information he could give them was possibly so limited that it might not matter. Then again, he'd already told them something that they had only suspected before – if they don't stop Lilith, then Hell on Earth won't be just an obscure expression, but a real possibility.

Running his hands over his face he knew what was his real problem – him. The thought that in some other lifetime he knew that little boy and was now dead sent shivers racing up and down his spine. Sure he knew it would happen someday, and most likely by something supernatural, but to have it so blatantly tossed into his face was something all together. He knew he needed to take this time to try and find the answers they were seeking to undo what Ruby did, but he couldn't seem to pull himself together to do it. He couldn't figure out what his problem was and knew he needed to get on the ball before they got back otherwise he'd have another distraction on his hands.

Suddenly it hit him what his problem was – why he couldn't seem to make any headway in searching for the answers. He didn't want to. Heaven help him, it hit him hard that to bring Sam back to them and away from Lilith's clutches, would condemn little Sammy to go back to that hellish reality where he probably wouldn't live long enough to grow up. Sam or Sammy – one or the other.

"Aw damn it all to Hell!"


	4. Chapter 4

In retrospect, it wasn't that great of an idea to allow a small child to eat three scoops of ice cream, a full stick of cotton candy, and half a plate of nachos before going on the Tilt-a-Whirl. Sure, he could see the idiocy of it – _now_! However, he had been so determined to show his little boy a good time, he forgot how big of a mess could be produced from such a small body. Now, as he rubbed Sammy's back to help soothe the retching that was going on behind an out of the way bush, Dean wondered what the hell he had been thinking – he hadn't gotten that out of practice in taking care of someone, had he?

"I's done Daddy… sowwy." Sammy said sadly as he sat down on the ground next to his daddy and wiped his face with the wet cloth. He truly felt miserable, more so now that he knew that he messed up his daddy's good time.

"Sorry for what Sammy? I'm the one who let you eat so much then put you on that ride. It's me who's sorry, ok?" Dean spoke softly as he pulled Sammy closer, content as he watched his son watch the other people.

"Why's they so happy Daddy? Don' they know Liwith is goin' to be mad?"

The soft words brought Dean harshly back to the issue at hand; Sammy still didn't understand that he wasn't in his own reality. Sighing, Dean only knew of one thing to say. "Sammy, buddy… do you trust me?" he asked and watched the shock surface on Sammy's face. "Ok, so that was a silly question wasn't it? Let's try this. Where we are right now, Lilith hasn't gotten a chance to do what you remember. So right now, everyone still thinks that what they think is bad and scary is only in bad dreams and fairtales. You know the truth though, and that makes you very special. So how about I show you just how special and we go someplace with just the two of us, would you like that?"

Nodding, Sammy smiled as he grabbed his daddy's hand and they walked away from the small street carnival that had stopped by for a few days. He didn't know where they were going, but he knew that his daddy was more special than anybody.

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It took less time that what Dean thought to get back to the back side of Bobby's property and even less time to get Sammy set up on the bank next to the creek. Although he and Sam normally didn't carry fishing poles around, they did make sure they had a few items to help them catch some fish if they ever needed to.

Sitting down next to Sammy, Dean smiled and showed his boy what he had in his hands. "Ok, here's what we have… some fishing line, a few hooks, and a small cork just so we know the fish aren't stealing the bait." Seeing that he had a captive audience he managed to piece together a pole from a sturdy stick and made a show of casting before he stopped suddenly. "Huh… I think I'm forgetting something. What do you think, am I forgetting something?" Sammy nodded before pointing to the hook. "Oh my… looks like we're not going to catch any fish if we don't find a worm are we?"

That was all Sammy needed to hear as he suddenly raced around, looking under each small rock until he found a large worm that dangled from his now dirty fingers. "Found one Daddy!" he squealed as he ran back towards his daddy as fast as his little legs could carry him.

"That's a good looking worm Sammy… shame to have to waste him, huh? That's ok though, I think the fish will appreciate it more than we will." Dean said as he carefully placed the worm on the hook and once again made a big deal out of casting his line. When he was satisfied that the hook was far enough out, he turned towards Sammy and smiled. "Alright little Dude, it's your job to watch the pole. If the cork goes under the water, then you need to yank it out of the water as hard as you can."

Sammy looked very unsure about the whole process but knew that if his Daddy said he could do it, then he could. "K Daddy!"

Dean sat back and watched how serious Sammy became when he was given a job and he couldn't help but chuckle as once again he started to compare his brother with his son. He had no doubt that the two would get along – it was a given. Now though he just needed to figure out how to keep Lilith from getting to the adult Sam while they figured out how to…

"Ah _Hell_ no!" he exclaimed, not thinking of the reaction his outburst could cause.

"I's sowwy Daddy. Did I's do som'ting wong?" Sammy asked while looking back at his daddy with teary eyes.

'Damn it… poor little guy just can't seem to catch a break today.' Dean thought as he knelt by Sammy. "No way buddy, you couldn't do anything wrong at all. Daddy just thought of something and it made me mad – but not at you, ok?" Dean watched the doubt fade from Sammy's small face and vowed to make sure he never thought that again – he was going to make sure that his father's mistakes stayed that way, his father's and not his.

It didn't take long to wipe the tears away but soon they found out they had a new problem. "Uh oh's…I dwoped th' pole."

Laughing, Dean pulled Sammy back into another hug. "Don't worry about it little guy, it's obviously the fish's lucky day."

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Bobby wasn't watching the clock, or the shadows lengthening along the walls, or the internal clock he had or even… yeah, ok, so he was watching the clock – sue him. Of all the things he knew was out there, his greatest fear at the moment was something mundane and idiotic would surprise them and bite the Winchester's in the ass. It would be just their luck that they managed to survive demon attacks only to get hit by a truck, or struck by lightning, or…

"Ok Singer, shut the hell up and finish what you're doing." He muttered to himself as he put the finishing touches on the Shepard's Pie he was making and put it in the oven. Sure they had plenty of food, but after last night's little melt down he wanted to show little Sammy that they weren't taking what they had for granted. He had run into town and made sure they had plenty of milk though because the kid was just way too tiny and he knew that the Henderson's sold their stock to the corner store on a regular basis which he always thought was healthier anyway. Of course the twelve pack he picked up at the same time made several people look at him odd – sometimes it didn't pay to live in a small town.

The sound of the Impala pulling into the driveway once more brought him out of his musings, but it was the giggling he heard through the open window that really got his attention. Taking a quick peek he saw Dean swinging the little boy around the yard and had to wonder who was the bigger kid. For a moment the harsh reality of what they were going to have to do faded away, for that one moment Bobby could almost believe that everything was going to be ok – almost.

It was five minutes later before Dean and little Sammy stumbled inside still laughing about their exploits while carrying arms full of things along with them. "Hey Bobby, smells like we're just in time." Dean said while he watched Sammy race into the kitchen.

"Looks Uncle Bobby! I's gots a artset an' is all mine!" Sammy exclaimed as he held up the case for Bobby to see. When he felt he got the appropriate amount of attention for his wonderful possession, he raced off to the living room where he was already opening it and pulling out paper and pencil, unaware of the tension in the room.

Dean smiled a moment before he turned to Bobby and saw the anxiety in the older man's face.

"We've got a problem." Bobby and Dean said at the same time, giving weight to the problem they both knew they couldn't escape.

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Sammy's enthusiastic account of the day made both Dean and Bobby smile while trying to avoid the hollow feeling in both their stomachs. It had been an easy decision to wait until tiny ears was sound asleep, but at the rate the little guy was chattering away they could tell that it might still be awhile. The good thing was that Sammy had gotten over his hesitation to eat, choosing to believe his uncle and daddy that they wouldn't go hungry any time soon.

Bobby got up from the table to get Sammy more milk and at the same time reached in for a couple of cold beers, but when he reached the table he got a surprise.

"No thanks Bobby, maybe later." Dean said casually while picking up his cup of coffee and giving cursory glance before he took a large swallow.

Although more than a little puzzled, Bobby snorted and leaned back. "Yeah, and who said it was for you smarty pants?" he asked casually, but his gaze was intense. Something was going on in Dean's head and he'd be hard pressed in find out what it was about right now. Looking over at Sammy he motioned to the boy's daddy. "You'd think I was his waitress or something, huh Sammy?"

Giggling, Sammy covered his mouth while kicking his feet in amusement. He missed his Uncle Bobby's teasing and was happy to hear it again. While he was busy laughing he was unprepared for what happened next causing him to squeal even louder.

"You think that's funny do you Sammy? I'll teach you!" Dean exclaimed as he began tickling the small boy in the side until finally Sammy was begging for his daddy to stop. "Yeah, I thought you'd see it my way." Dean smirked as Sammy gasped in air between fits of giggles.

Before long though it was obvious that the assessment of how long the little guy would last was wrong as his eyes started to droop and his head began to wobble a bit.

Dean knew when it was time to tuck little Winchester's into bed and this was no exception. He easily scooped Sammy into his arms and they went up stairs where he helped his son into a fresh pair of pajamas before tucking him in with a hug and a kiss goodnight. He hadn't even stood up to his full height before he could tell that his little boy was sound asleep.

Bobby was waiting at the bottom of the stairs with a fresh cold beer for him with understanding eyes. "So, you've figured it out too huh? Damn it… if this don't beat all." Bobby muttered as he sat heavily on the couch.

"Tell me about it, Bobby. What am I supposed to do, huh? Save my brother or protect my son who's not even…" Dean trailed off knowing that what he was about to say wasn't true. Sure he hadn't been there when the boy had been born, didn't know about what his first steps were like, or how come he liked strawberry ice cream, or even what his birthday was, but he felt a connection with him all the same and he would be damned if anyone dared to claim that Sammy wasn't his.

"Dean…" Bobby began but stopped when he saw Dean's face.

"I can't lose either one Bobby – that's not an option!"

Sighing, Bobby nodded. "Alright then, looks like we have some work to do."


	5. Chapter 5

Dean continued to watch as Sammy sat peacefully in the yard and attempted to sketch the house. It had been over a week and neither he nor Bobby had found any clue as to how to keep both Sam and Sammy with them. It had become an obsession for both men and unfortunately it was starting to take its toll. To make matters worse, there was no sign of Ruby at all – anywhere.

"Daddy, I's don' tink I's doin it right." Sammy said sadly as he looked at the paper in front of him. He had wanted it to be perfect for his daddy and Uncle Bobby, but even he could see that they didn't match.

"I'm sure you're doing fine Buddy, how about you let me see it." Dean said softly as he moved closer to the little boy who looked so sad that it clenched his heart. Gently taking the page from his son, he saw so much of his brother in him and knew exactly what he'd see before he even looked at it. "Sammy, there's nothing wrong with this picture. I can see the roof and the windows, and you even put Bobby on the porch. I think you're expecting too much from yourself."

Sammy looked skeptical before he looked up at his daddy and seeing the sincere look on his face. "But Daddy… it ugly!"

Knowing that anything he tried at the moment wasn't going to help, he smiled and pulled Sammy into his lap all the while keeping the picture close. He waited until the small boy leaned into him before he started to point out the similarities he saw. Before long Sammy began to chime in his opinion too and even told him why he'd chosen not to include the Impala in the picture.

"Th' house migh' get mad." He stated with such certainty that it took Dean everything he had not to start laughing.

"Well I guess we don't want that, do we?" Dean asked as he leaned slightly back and enjoyed the feel of having little Sammy being a part of him. "You know, it's about lunch time and something tells me that Bobby fixed some hot dogs and mac n cheese." Seeing his little boy's happy face, he hurriedly helped Sammy pack his art set and raced him to the house.

Bobby heard both Winchester boys stomping up the front steps and quickly hung up the phone, knowing that Dean didn't need another piece of bad news at the moment. However it did wake him up to what they had completely failed to do – protect Sammy in the most basic sense of the word. Tugging his cap back, he rubbed his face a moment before motioning for the boys to go ahead and eat before he picked up the phone again. He was just about to hung up in frustration when a brusque voice answered the other end.

"I need a favor and I need it quick." Bobby said without preamble, knowing that if the person on the other end was in a foul mood, then small talk would just be an annoyance.

"_Yeah, good day too you too Bobby. Didn't you mamma ever teach you how to talk on the phone… oh wait, that's right… you were born before that particular invention came around."_

Smirking, Bobby knew he had walked into that one and was more thankful than mad that the man was in a good mood. "Yeah yeah you ass, you're older than I am. How about we get down to business before you go down for your afternoon nap, you old geezer."

The man on the other end of the call laughed heartily before agreeing to lay off the jabs – until after their business was concluded. _"So, what can I do you for Bobby?"_

"I need a birth certificate for a Samuel Winchester, age four, father Dean Winchester, mother… hell, you can make that up at this point… just nothing that'll stand out. I need it quick though and I don't care what it'll cost – got it?" Bobby said in a hurry. He knew he just raised a red flag in his associate, but also knew the man to be discrete.

"_Damn it Bobby, what the hell?"_

"Long story… just do me this favor and the next two research projects are free – got me?"

A quiet pause made Bobby wonder if maybe he had read the man wrong all these years, but finally he got his answer_. "I'm assuming we're not talking about Sam, and I'm assuming that to say you need it in a hurry is an understatement…ok Bobby, you got it – but one day you're going to explain this one to me. I'll have it to you by express mail tomorrow… look for it."_

The silence was back, but this time it didn't take long to bring with it a dial tone letting Bobby know that the conversation was well and truly over. Sighing, he hung up the receiver and stared at the phone for a moment before standing up and making his way to the kitchen. "You two had better saved me some!" He called out and smiled at the answering giggle coming from little Sammy. 'Sam, I hope you're doing ok boy… we're getting you back, just not sure how yet.'

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Ruby knew she was public enemy number one with not only Dean and other hunters, but demons as well. What she did was the equivalent of treason, but even knowing what would happen to her if she was caught, she couldn't bring herself to regret her decision – only the pain that it was possibly causing Sam.

Sighing, she looked around to make sure that there wasn't any danger approaching before she crossed the busy intersection on her way to the bookstore setting on the corner. That was something else she could never figure out about the Winchesters, they stayed away from the bigger cities as much as possible, when they were the best places to hide. As she glanced through the window she saw the person she needed to see waiting working behind the counter and she didn't waste any time going to him.

"Did you find him?" she asked as she pushed her way to the front of the line, ignoring the protests being tossed her way.

The man standing behind the counter looked at her harshly before shaking his head. "Always impatient, aren't you Ruby? That's your problem, you can't take two seconds to think of anyone other than yourself."

Staring at the man she knew that he was serious, but she couldn't bring herself to care. "Louis, you told me to come, now what did you find out!"

Sighing, Louis motioned for his niece to take over before he took Ruby's arm harshly and pulled her to the upstairs loft where his private office was located. When he finally got her inside, he shoved her to the closest chair and glared at her. "Just because you don't have a life, doesn't mean the rest of us don't. You want to know if Lilith has gotten closer to your friend, but you're not willing to be subtle about it – I don't get you Ruby, I really don't."

"Look, just fill me in and I'll be on my way – you owe me Louis." She ground out between clenched teeth. She shouldn't have to remind him how she risked everything to stand between him and the hellhounds shortly after her return to the surface.

"Yeah I owe you, you don't own me Ruby – there's a difference. To answer your question, yeah, I found something and you're not going to like it. He's aware. As in completely and totally aware of what's going on. He doesn't understand it, he doesn't like it, but he knows that somehow you're involved and he's getting pissed! Now I suggest you figure a way to undo that botched ritual you pulled off and get him out of there – just because he's awake in limbo doesn't mean he's ready to take on Lilith when she peels back the veil and pulls him into Hell. You did this girly, you better find a way to fix it."

Ruby stared at Louis and knew that he was right - she needed to figure this out – now! Not bothering to wait for an escort out of the office, she made her way outside into the bright light and disappeared in the bright daylight.

"That was very good Louis. You could make a very good pet." A small voice said sweetly from the other room before the little girl walked in and smiled at him. "Now, you just keep to our agreement and I won't have to come back."

Nodding, Louis silently agreed and looked away from the small body that Lilith occupied today. He didn't want to start thinking of the little girl who most likely was a dead host for this epitome of evil. 'Don't be a fool Ruby – let Sam Winchester go.'

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Sammy had fallen asleep at the dinner table again and Dean easily carried him upstairs and tucked him into bed without the little boy so much as twitching. As he watched his son though, his thoughts swept back to his brother and he couldn't help but worry. He knew he had no real memory of what had happened in his limbo type state, but what if whatever Ruby did wrong did something else and caused Sam to know what was happening. What if his little brother was in pain or being driven insane by whatever was keeping him there?

Rubbing his fingers in along his scalp, he wondered how he and Bobby were going to figure it out before something else happened, and he knew something else would happen – it was Winchester luck, after all.

Making sure Sammy was secure and tucked in securely; he went back downstairs and grabbed the beer Bobby offered, ignoring the questioning gaze from the older man. It wasn't until he sat on the couch that Bobby surprised him with a question that he hadn't seen coming.

"So, you mind telling me why you suddenly have an aversion to alcohol of any kind before dark?" Bobby asked as he settled into a chair close to Dean.

Dean shook his head and smirked. "Man, you know Sammy used to complain all the damn time about Dad's drinking and I just blew him off as a pansy. But you know, he had a point. I'm not saying that Dad didn't have the right to have a drink or hell, even get drunk occasionally, but Bobby – there were times I was putting Dad to bed as often as I was Sammy. What kind of life is that really for a kid, huh? I'm not saying Sammy's not going to see me drink, but damn it, I'm going to do my best to make sure it's not all the damn time and sure as hell not fall on my face drunk."

Bobby had suspected that was what was going on, and he knew that Dean was doing what he could not to follow his daddy's mistakes and he had to admit – he was proud of the boy. "So, what about when little Sammy is so damn sure you're hunting the wrong damn thing and calls you a stubborn ass? You planning on kissing his little ass?" he smirked, knowing as well as anyone what the reaction to that would be.

"Oh _hell_ no! He does that and he and I will go toe to toe, but Bobby – I'm at least planning on listening to the kid… not shut him out even before he has a chance to show me what he's got. Besides, things change – we might not even be in the hunt once we get Sam back." Seeing Bobby's wary shock he shrugged. "I'm not saying I've made a decision, and it's not just mine to make, but it's something I really need to think about. Sam didn't leave us for normal, he left us for safe and it's taken me years to realize that. He's never known what it's like to have a single place to stay and know that that was home forever. He only saw the obsessed side of Dad, the missing parent, the constant moving around. No wonder he wanted to leave and figure it out for himself, hell's bells man I've thought about it myself a couple times, but I couldn't leave Dad to himself, you know?" Dean knew that he was being as honest as he could right then. He had wondered about what would be like if he just stayed in a rundown town that they came upon one day. Wondered what type of girl would be willing to settle down with him and help him figure out what the hell he was really supposed to do with his life. Then again, he knew he couldn't settle down, not really. He'd always have an urge to move, but he sometimes wanted the choice to be his and not dependent on some force to be reckoned with.

The older hunter watched Dean carefully and wondered just how much John had screwed up with his boys. Sure, they both grew to be fine men, but in a way they both were broken and it was painful to watch how the jagged edges of their souls would sometimes come to the surface before they were able to push them back into hiding. Sighing, he took a long draw of his beer. "I have Sammy's birth certificate on the way. I figure once we get Sam back you'll need it wherever you go… or you can keep it in the safe for as long as you boys are here."

Dean looked over at Bobby and smiled slightly, knowing full well what Bobby was hinting at and couldn't feel more comfortable with that idea. They could have a home, they could raise Sammy the way they both wish they had been. Nodding, he leaned back and continued to work on his beer working on how he was going to bring the subject up to Sam once they got him back. He was just about to ask Bobby something when the piercing scream startled him off the couch and up the stairs before he registered the broken bottle that was now lying exactly where his feet had been in front of the couch.


	6. Chapter 6

Dean raced into the bedroom ready to beat whatever it was that dared to attack Sammy, but once he got inside he realized that it was a nightmare that had his little boy screaming the roof down. Quickly making his way to the bed he joined the terrified little boy and engulfed him in his arms all the while talking softly, trying his best to comfort Sammy until he woke up. It didn't take long until the screams turned to hiccups and finally the little body relaxed and each shuddering breathe finally calmed.

"Hey Sammy, you ok?" Dean asked as he held his boy securely in his arms. "What was that about little dude?"

Another hiccup broke the silence before another wave crying hit Sammy's small body. "I's ssssowwwy Dddaddy… I's didn' mean to!"

Puzzled, Dean looked at the doorway where he knew Bobby stood watching and shared a shrug at this new development. Neither knew what Sammy thought he needed to apologize for and both wondered if the boy thought he was in trouble for having a bad dream. Before either of them were able to ask another question though, Sammy took a deep breath and confessed what he thought he did wrong.

"I's was tinkin' 'bout Uncle Sammy an' I had th' dweam again…I's sowwy Daddy."

Dean wasn't sure he was going to like the answer, but he really needed to find out what was going on in his little boy's head. "Sammy, what dream buddy?"

"Th' one where Uncle Sammy dies!" Sammy wailed before burying his face in his daddy's chest, not wanting to see his daddy's face.

Bobby stood shocked and wasn't exactly sure he understood what the deal was, but knew they needed to figure it out before the little boy in front of him was further traumatized. "Were you there when Sam was…killed, Sammy?"

Sammy shook his head until both men thought he would make himself dizzy before he whispered, "No, I's wasn' even born yet… member Uncle Bobby?"

Dean shrugged his shoulder before he forced Sammy to look up at him. "Ok Sammy, this is very important. If your Uncle Sam died before you were born, then how do you know what happened to him?"

"I's heard you's an' Uncle Bobby, Daddy. You's gots mad 'cause I's was suppos' to be seeping. I's sowwy tha' Uncle Sammy died 'cause of me, Daddy…I's reawwy sowwy!"

Horrified, Dean swung little Sammy up to face him and looked him straight in the eyes. "Hey hey hey… none of that. There's no way you had anything to do with it, ok? So no more of that talk, got it? You have nothing to be sorry for, and there's no way I'm going to let you think that way." He waited until acceptance finally crept into his little boy's face before he pulled him back into a strong hug and didn't let him go again until he knew Sammy was asleep once again. Tucking his boy back into bed a second time that night, Dean had to wonder yet again just what type of life this little boy had had in that alternate reality. Sighing, he ran his fingers through the dark curls and paused for a moment before turning towards Bobby. "What the hell man?"

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Bobby sat in front of the fireplace and slammed back another shot of Jack while the voice of little Sammy echoed through his brain. Of all the things he'd witnessed in his life, he would have thought that he wouldn't still have such a damn tender heart. He heard Dean in the kitchen pretending to make a snack, but the periodic shutting and opening of doors said that the man just couldn't be bothered with anything that would require actual thought at the moment – and Bobby couldn't blame him.

It was obvious that they needed to find a way to keep little Sammy with them, but at the moment there was no possible way to do that and bring the adult Sam back too. It was a disheartening situation and the more that they heard about little Sammy's life, the more both he and Dean silently thought about what Sam would say, that they couldn't sacrifice an innocent child for him, but that was part of the problem – Sam was in many ways too innocent to sacrifice. After everything he'd already seen and done, he'd been able to keep his hope for something better intact. There was no way he or Dean in all good conscience would let him to slip away.

"Quit thinking so damn loud Bobby, you're giving me a headache." Dean grumbled as he walked into the room and sat across from the older hunter. "I told you, we can't lose either one. So we just need to dig a little bit deeper and find a way to keep them both."

Nodding, Bobby didn't bother to voice his thoughts knowing that at the moment he really didn't have anything useful to add. Reaching to the side he pulled another glass closer to him and filled it for Dean knowing that after what they both heard, there was no way the younger man was going to refuse.

Dean tossed back the shot and thought about what they already knew, and the questions that kept growing. He now knew that Sam was dead in Sammy's world and had been for at least as long as little Sammy had been alive – no, longer. It didn't make him feel better knowing this, but he also knew that it was something he needed to know. Of course he wasn't sure exactly what he was going to do with that information, but it was definitely another piece to a whole other picture showing what life could become.

"Dean, I know you don't want to talk about this, but we're going to have to sometime…"

"No Bobby, we don't. We both know what's at stake; we both know what we have to lose. I'm not going to leave Sam in limbo where that demon bitch can get hold of him and I sure as hell am not sending Sammy back to that hellhole. So no, we don't need to talk about anything other than how far we're going to go and there's only one answer I'm willing to accept – as far as we have to." Dean growled as he stared at the old family friend. Already he knew where he could get a few extra bucks if he needed and he had racked up a few favors he could cash in if he needed to find a place for him and Sammy to stay until this whole mess was straightened out. Already involved in making plans, he almost missed Bobby's reply.

"…damn idgit… I meant which do you want to try first, summoning spells to see what we're dealing with, or jump into the heavy stuff with a blood ritual or two?"

Shocked, Dean stared at Bobby a moment before a grin formed on his face and he held his glass for another refill and then toasted Bobby with a cheeky, "Good times."

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The phone ringing for over five minutes should have told Dean that it was an important call, but all he could really think of was that his head was echoing the constant backbeat that was playing someplace in his brain. Besides, Bobby would answer it, right?

"Damn it boy, answer the damn thing, would you?" Bobby grumbled as he looked across the room to the offending object.

Looking around Dean could tell that it was just barely morning and he couldn't help but wonder who was idiotic enough to let the phone ring that damn long without giving up. Then again, he had to wonder who would be stupid enough to allow the damn thing to ring and not answer it while there was a sleeping little boy upstairs. Sighing, he stumbled to the desk and picked up the receiver intent on chewing out whoever was on the line but was surprised by the person on the other end.

"Dean? Dean, thank Goodness you finally answered. Lilith is about to make her move. I think I can do a binding spell to help keep her occupied for a short time, but it might be enough to make sure she doesn't cause the rift to open. Dean… DEAN – are you listening?"

"Lillian?" Dean asked, still trying to pull his thoughts together, and not even sure he heard what he thought he had. "You found her?"

"Yes Dean, it's me. Listen, you and Bobby really need to get ready. Lilith is going to try to rip open the veil and it's going to be similar to what happens when a Devil's Gate is opened. I can try to slow her down, but you have to find a way to stop her from doing anymore damage."

"Sure thing, I'll just pull that secret weapon out of my ass and get right on it." Dean practically yelled as he wrote down the information Lillian was giving him and showed it to Bobby who immediately began to throw things in a bag and pull a map out of another drawer. Seeing that at least one aspect was being taken care of, he couldn't help but ask, "So, any ideas how we're supposed to do this? I mean, keep both Sammy's?"

The pause was tense and Dean was sure that he was about to get some really bad new when suddenly Lillian's voice came back. "I'm not sure Dean, but I'm thinking that someone else is already working on it. Just be ready for anything, and I'll meet you there."

Pausing only for a moment, Dean looked at Bobby and hung up the receiver before motioning upstairs. "I'll get him ready, you pack the car. Oh, and Bobby… Lillian thinks someone else is working on our little problem."

Bobby only paused a moment before going back to his preparations. "Good, let someone else do the heavy lifting for a damn change." He groused as he watched Dean rush up the stairs, all the while wondering who would be working on their unique situation and why.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Sorry for the wait, I hope you enjoy this chapter...

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The closer they got to the area that Lillian directed them to, the more they realized that it would have only been a matter of time before they noticed the location anyway. A dark storm was whipping its way through and around a small town five hours away from the salvage yard, scattering anything and everything in its path while terrifying the remnants of the town's population. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Lilith was there, and she was more than a little excited.

Dean looked at Bobby before glancing back towards Sammy. He knew that things were going to get hairy and the chances of keeping his son completely safe were going to be almost non-existent, but there was no real option and that really made him itch to get his hands on the twisted demon diva. "Hey Sammy, I need you to stay close and do exactly as I say, ok?" he asked, hoping that this would actually go better than what he was imagining.

Sammy nodded quietly as his wide eyes looked through the windshield and saw the stationary storm that continued to build, his fear building as he couldn't turn away from the sight. "Daddy, Lilith is here?"

Knowing that there was no way he could lie to Sammy, Dean nodded slowly. "Yeah buddy, she's here. But there's no way I'm going to let her get you, ok?"

The sudden appearance of a blockade in the middle of the road made Dean curse and slam the brakes. Seeing that the road ahead was torn and littered with pieces of buildings and fallen trees, he sighed before opening the door. "Hopefully we can find Lillian before we run into Lilith."

"No kidding." Bobby mused as he made his way to the trunk and started to pull the items he knew they'd need. He heard the door open again and then Dean talking softly to Sammy. Although he couldn't tell what was actually being said, he knew that Dean was assuring the youngster that he would do everything he could to make sure he was safe. Sighing, he closed the trunk and sent a silent prayer that Dean wouldn't be made into a liar today.

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It was working, not that she had any doubts that it would, but the process was taking considerably less time and effort than she initially thought. Sure, she knew that she was basically sending a signal big enough for every hunter on the planet to see, but she didn't care. Her prize was close at hand and there was nothing that was going to keep her from it.

"Mistress, its opening!" a minion yelled, as he motioned for the others to come over and watch as Lilith proved yet again why she was in charge. It was an awesome sight to see the small body harness the energy of nature and use it to do something that everyone else had said was impossible – to break through the veil and pull out a soul that is in stasis. Only Reapers had such power, but today their leader would prove them all wrong.

Lilith smiled sweetly as she stared intently at the spot in front of her that was starting to shimmer. She had known that this new body was a good choice, but hadn't known just how good until she began to tap into the endless energy the little girl possessed. Sighing in enjoyment, she stretched her arms as she began to bounce slightly. "Oh this is simply wonderful!" she sang cheerfully as she turned to the others. "Can't you hear him? Hearing him scream makes me feel tingly inside!" she giggled as she turned around and once again watched as the large non-defined form of light slowly appeared.

The others looked at each other warily, knowing that although they didn't actually hear anything, there was something tantalizing in the agony they could taste in the air. Whatever she was doing was working, and it wouldn't be long until they all got the revenge they were after. It wouldn't be long before they had Sam Winchester in their grasp.

"Hey! Get away from him bitch!" Dean yelled as he came into view. He could see something forming, or would it be contorting, and something down deep told him it was his brother, and the only thing he could do at the moment was try to distract Lilith until Lillian did whatever she needed to do to stop this.

"Dean, I'm so happy you could make it! Sam said you wouldn't, so that makes him a very naughty boy for lying." Lilith said with her childish voice gleefully drawing out her sentence as she reached out and pulled on the bright form in front of her, causing it to scream out in anguish. "Naughty boys have to be punished."

"I believe he said 'Get away from him bitch!', and I suggest you do exactly that." A voice yelled out causing the others to turn and stare in shock for a moment. The once ruined lot was now filled by an opening that led into an area that could only be described as déjà vu – Lilith had already destroyed it, but now dilapidated buildings were there with… Dean Winchester walking through!

Dean stared at the figure that was walking closer to him and he had to wonder if maybe he had snuck a bottle or two of Jack without realizing it as his mind started to understand that it was him walking in from an opening that could only be described as surreal. Before he had a chance to say anything, Sammy broke from his hiding place and ran past.

"DADDY!!!" Sammy yelled as he raced towards the newcomer Dean. Dodging past everyone and everything that stood in his way, the small boy was almost there, when he heard his daddy yell.

"NOW LILLIAN!" the newcomer yelled as he grabbed his little boy up in his arms and looked at the circle that formed around him, his son, and his alternate. Smirking, he nodded. "So, you're me. No offense but there's only one Dean Winchester."

Dean smirked while trying hard to grasp his runaway feelings. "Yeah, back at ya." He said as he looked around and noticed that everything was still – no movement from anyone or anything. "Nice trick. So, what's going on?" he asked as he looked his doppelganger over. Sure it looked like him, if he had been rode hard and hung up wet. The scars ran deep and frequent on the other man's face and body giving him a much older appearance, but the self assured attitude was still there which portrayed a confidence that reminded him so much of his dad that it sent a fresh wave of pain through him. "So… how does this work?"

"Look, we don't have time for this, but you need to know. What you see behind me is just a taste of what she'll do if she wins. She's ruthless and she doesn't have a weak spot except she wants to be the one in charge, not even being second to Lucifer will make her happy. She doesn't eat or sleep unless she's tormenting someone in the process. Whatever happens, you can't let her gain a foothold here… we made that mistake, and we've been dwindling ever since." The newcomer Dean adjusted Sammy and closed his eyes as he hugged his boy closer. "Hey little dude, miss me?"

Shrugging, Sammy looked between his two daddies and buried his face deep into his daddy's shoulder while holding on tighter.

Looking up, Sammy's daddy sighed. "His mom, Jenny, and I met while Sam was missing during a hunt when he was on break at Stanford. It didn't take us long to figure out we had a good thing going and by the time we found Sam and got him away from the crazies she was more than willing to put up with Dad and stick with us. The demon that killed mom went after Sam's girlfriend so he came with us instead of putting her at risk. Anyway, Lilith comes into the picture about the same time we find out about Sammy here. Jenny had been hunting with us for about three years and was there when we finally killed Azazel, so she knew what we were dealing with from the start. What we didn't expect was the interest Lilith would take in our little boy. Sammy was due any day and I had just stepped out for some dinner when all hell broke loose." He paused and closed his eyes against the memory before he pushed on, knowing their time was getting shorter by the second. "She told me that Sam protected her with everything he had, but it wasn't enough, then I helped her deliver our son and she died. It's been him and me ever since trying to fight while staying a step or two ahead of Lilith."

Dean knew that answered a few questions, but he was still confused. "Ok, uh… thanks for letting me know but…"

"…why am I telling you this? Simple… we're losing big time here. The angels keep falling and the dead keep stacking up around us. Sammy's everything to me. When he went missing, I went out of my mind, but Lillian told me he was in good hands and that I'd have him back soon. I'm giving him to you because he needs a chance."

Nodding, Dean held out his arms. "Come on little dude. We still need to rescue your Uncle Sammy." Dean said as he waited for the little boy to finish saying good bye. "I take it you have a plan?"

Smirking, the newcomer shrugged as he gently gave a small backpack to Sammy. "I know you're going to be good, so I won't tell you that. What I want you to be though is happy and brave."

"Likes Uncle Sam?" Sammy asked with wide eyes. Seeing the nod from his daddy, he wiped his face. "I's loves you Daddy!" he said before running back toward the daddy he'd gotten to know the last several days.

Looking around, Dean saw the illuminated figure had disappeared. Panicked, he whipped back around to the newcomer and was surprised when he heard the other man yell as the circle began to dissipate.

"Go! I'll hold them off until you get him to the car. My Lillian and your Lillian have been cooking up a surprise. Go!"

Needing no further prodding, Dean turned and raced towards the Impala as he heard the sounds of gunfire and his voice cursing at the demons until that voice was silenced suddenly leaving no doubt to the fate of the other man. Bobby came into view and looked more confused than Dean felt, making the younger man wonder what else could have happened.

"I haven't seen Lillian yet, but I'm pretty sure she's the only one who could have pulled this one off." Bobby said as he motioned inside the car.

Concerned, Dean grasped Sammy tighter as he glanced carefully inside and almost fell over in shock. "Bobby?" he asked, not believing what he was seeing. "How the… never mind. You're driving, and make it quick. There's no way I'm letting them get their hands on either of my Sammy's."

As the black car speed down the roadway leaving the destroyed town in its wake, Dean sat in the backseat with his son clutched at his side, and his brother lying down with his head in his lap. He didn't know how the witch had managed to pull it off, but he knew that whatever she did was only going to give them a small leeway to get someplace safer – he could only hope that it was enough.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Sorry for the wait again... real life is bringing me down... I really need some inspiration!!!

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Bobby had driven the Impala to her limits to get them all back to the salvage yard as quickly as possible. Yes, he knew of a couple of places that they could have holed up for a short time, but something told him that this could get very messy very quickly and he wanted to make sure everyone was as comfortable as possible while they waited it out.

Tossing a glance to the backseat he saw the same scene he'd witnessed the last hundred times he'd looked – Dean clutching the two most precious people in the world to him while keeping a lookout for any threats that could surprise them. Normally he would have thought the boy needed to concentrate on one thing or another, but today he knew that both was necessary if they were going to keep both Sammy's with them. While little Sammy was quiet due to the fright of racing through the night away from Lilith, Sam was quiet due to the shock of whatever it was Lilith had done to him and hadn't responded to anyone or anything since being found in the backseat.

Seeing the salvage yard's boundary, Bobby didn't bother to slow down as he took the turn into the driveway in a slide. Although he didn't see anyone following, that didn't mean there wasn't and he wanted to make sure the Winchester's, all three of them, were in the house as soon as possible. He hadn't even opened the door before little Sammy was already over the seat and following him out the car while Dean carefully pulled his brother out and carried him to the porch and waited for Bobby to unlock and open the door. Afterwards it didn't take long to get everyone inside and barricaded behind extra wards, sigils and few special spells that Bobby had been keeping for a very special occasion – like when a lunatic demon is determined to take over the world and go through you to do it, for instance. Sighing, he allowed himself to relax a moment before making an executive decision – they needed food… and whiskey.

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Dean sat at the table and listened to the tiny feet race across the floor upstairs before he schooled his features for the imminent visit. For the past two days, Sammy had taken over the role of Sam Monitor, alerting them to every sound, twitch, or even lack thereof that his Uncle made. Normally it would have been Dean's job to sit vigil by Sam's bedside, but somehow he knew that his little boy needed to do this – needed to be the one entrusted with making sure that if Sam needed anything, he'd be the one to sound the alarm. It wasn't an easy roll to relinquish and as soon as everything got back to normal then he was definitely going to take it back – he just needed to get everyone through this little obstacle first.

The thuds on the steps alerted both older men that Sammy was taking the steps two at a time again which really made them both cringe considering the tiny legs that were leading the way. However, they both knew that getting on to him for it just made for an unhappy little boy and they needed the little guy as upbeat as they can get right now. Although there hadn't been any response in Sam, there hadn't been a decline either which they were more than willing to attribute it to the very little boy who was determined to drive them batty with his constant updates.

"Daddy, Uncle Sammy winkled 'is nose." Sammy gasped as he tried to catch his breath before running back up the stairs, this time only one at a time. He heard his daddy and Uncle Bobby get up from their chairs and he knew they were coming too. He couldn't wait to meet his Uncle Sammy for real, but was worried – what if he didn't like him?

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He knew someone was close but he couldn't tell who, which was odd because he knew he should know the person who was always there next to him – or at least he thought he should. Impressions were ghosting over him, leaving him with a disassociated feeling with no real thought or physical sense but with a sense of calm that allowed him to continue to float along in his nothing cocoon he currently existed in.

Not knowing how long he had been there, he really had no idea if he should even attempt to make his way back – or even if he could. He knew that the before place he inhabited was someplace he didn't want to return to, but he didn't know if that was where he would return if he fought his way back to – where?

Another ghosting sensation, stronger this time – more insistent in a gentle sort of way. Almost enough to hold onto, but not enough to overwhelm him. Suddenly there was another and this one more insistent and would have made him shy away from it had it not seemed at least slightly familiar. Senses became sharper until he was sure he could tell that he was no longer floating along, but still. Sounds and smells began to float to him and he allowed his brain to absorb them to decide whether he would take that final step. However it was the feel of something on his face that brought him abruptly into the awakened world only to stare into a small face with dark curly hair and large eyes, causing him to stare back in horror.

Dean knew that look. It was the one his little brother had when he his brain was on overload and then suddenly stopped whatever thought was being worked on in midstream. 'Damn it!' he thought as he ran his hand through his hair. 'What else could go wrong?'

Sam looked at the small boy in front of him and followed the tiny face with his eyes until he traced the body to the arms to the hands that still had a hold of his face. Suddenly it all made some sort of jumbled sense and his only response was, "Sammy?" before he promptly fell into a deep sleep once more.

Shocked, both Dean and Bobby could only stare at the man lying unconscious on the bed until an excited voice broke through their thoughts.

"He know me Daddy, he know me!" Sammy shrieked happily before placing himself next to his Uncle Sammy and promptly fell asleep with his tiny hand over his uncle's beating heart.

"Guess we got more questions than answers, huh kid?" Bobby asked as watched the two Sammy's sleep, totally oblivious to what was going on around them.

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Lillian was tired and she didn't care who knew it. Unfortunately, so was her doppelganger which didn't set well with either of them. Obviously what they had done worked, which was good in a way, but completely horrendous in another – now they had no defenses in case Lilith decided to come knocking, and they both knew that was exactly what was going to happen.

"So, another fine mess we've gotten ourselves into." The alternate Lillian stated wryly as she attempted to cast a minor spell with no success.

Smiling, Lillian shook her head. "Don't look at me; you could have gone back before the rip closed. Why did you stay anyway?" Although the alternate Lillian sat quietly, there was something in her demeanor that sparked recognition with the other. "Oh my… you fell for Dean Winchester?!? Why?"

"What do you mean, why? Are we talking about the same person here? Have you not met him?"

Lillian looked at her alter self and smirked. She had no idea how it happened, but it was obvious that the woman before her was well and truly in love with the eldest Winchester brother. Too bad the man she had fallen for was now a fallen hero. Although she didn't know that Dean, she had the sense that he was a strong, honorable man and yes, if things had been different, she might have fallen for him as well.

Any further musings were halted when both women turned towards the door and awaited for what was coming. When the door opened calmly with no one on the other side, both could almost think that it was the wind and they had been granted a reprieve. It did not take too much time to dispel them from that thought.

A slender girl in a pink floral dress skipped into the room wearing black patent Mary Jane shoes and looked ever as much as a little girl as any other on any numerous blocks across the country. However, it was the cruel glint in her eyes that betrayed her true nature – that and the soulless white eyes that gazed around her.

"I hope I'm not late girls, you know how much I hate being left out." Lilith stated, leaving one to wonder not just her state of mind, but emotional well being as well. "You know, I would have let you keep him as a pet, but you didn't tell me the plan – sorry."

Lillian's other self cringed slightly at the barb aimed at her and could only glance at her mirror image in hopes that she might have an idea of how to handle this situation. Too bad they both were sharing the same horrified expressions.

Lilith walked closer to the two women in the room while waving off her escorts – this was something that she wanted to take care of without the presence of others. "Did you really think that I wouldn't find you? That I would let you both continue defying me? That I would not stop you when you both were being very, very bad girls?" Lilith asked as she walked calmly closer, ignoring the shaking and groaning of the structure around them. "I think both of you need a time out!"


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Hi everyone... sorry for the wait, I hope this makes up for it. There should be one more chapter, then this story too will be wrapped up - although I've already been asked about another sequel which I might do later. Let me know what you think of this one... take care!

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The sun had passed its peak the next afternoon before there was any noticeable movement or sound in the bedroom again. It had taken both Bobby and Dean to keep little Sammy corralled with activities in order for Sam to continue to get the rest he so obviously needed in the first place. With Bobby and little Sammy in the kitchen trying to fry chicken without burning the house down, Dean was taking that moment to check up on his little brother in hopes that he had improved, if only a little bit.

"Hey." Dean said quietly in shock as he saw a pair of weary eyes staring at him. "How long have you been awake?"

Sam stared for a moment before he looked around uneasily. "Uh… not long… I think." He said as his gaze stopped once again on Dean. Seeing his brother's worry he could only shrug. "Not sure how to explain… too much… uh…"

Nodding, Dean didn't have any doubt that something big had happened while his brother was in limbo, he just wanted to make sure that right now he was ok. "It's ok Sammy; you don't have to worry about anything right now, ok? You need to take care of yourself and we'll deal with whatever it is later, alright?"

"Yeah…ok." Sam said quietly while looking towards the door again.

"Dude… what are you looking for?" Dean asked worried that there was something else going on with his little brother, something that he needed to be on guard for.

Shaking his head slightly, Sam wasn't sure how to explain that he felt like something was missing – or someone. He could hear Bobby downstairs, but he was sure there was someone… "Hey Dean… I know this sounds strange but… uh… is there someone else here?"

Laughing, Dean felt more relieved than he could ever remember in his life. Of course Sam would ask about Sammy – he had somehow known about him before falling asleep again. "Dude, you know how to scare the…"

"UNCLE SAMMY!!!" Sammy screamed as he raced in the room and dove onto the bed, effectively avoiding his daddy's arms in the process. "I's missed you!"

Sam knew he should have been surprised by this little boy scrambling into his arms, but it was a small flash of something that reminded him that he knew this boy somehow. "Sammy… hey buddy. You ok?" he asked as he looked up to his brother and noticed his shock. Trying to convey his feelings, he realized he didn't need to, Dean understood that is was one of the things he wasn't sure he could explain.

"Well, with this being a total Sammy Zone, I think I'm going to go grab some grub – anyone else hungry?"

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Bobby couldn't believe what Dean and little Sammy were helping down the stairs and into the kitchen. Not that he didn't think it was a good sight to see, he was more worried about it being too soon, but leave it to a Winchester to push his limits no matter what.

"Boy, what the hell do you think you're doing out of bed?" Bobby demanded even as he put another plate of food on the table in front of Sam.

Grinning shyly, Sam sat down gratefully. "I know it sounds crazy, but I… I had to know where I am, you know?" he asked the older man, knowing that he wasn't making any sense at all.

Nodding, Bobby thought about it a moment and smiled. "Well, whatever gets you back to us the quickest is ok by me. Just as long as you don't get it in your head that you can go skipping your dinner there."

Dean smiled broadly as he watched Bobby take his brother to task, even though the kid hadn't actually stopped eating yet – it was his MO and one they needed to curb quick.

"Uh huh Uncle Sammy – you's eats!" Little Sammy agreed as he pushed his uncle's plate closer to him – effectively causing the adults to laugh. Not sure what they thought was funny, Sammy started to pout and cross his arms over his chest.

"Sammy, thank you. I'll eat, I promise, just give me a few minutes, ok?" Sam asked. Seeing how the small boy wasn't looking at him now, he looked at Dean for some advice but saw he was as confused as he was. "Sammy, I'm sorry. We're not used to having someone trying to take care of us, ok? We're not laughing at you; we just think you're pretty cool for thinking about someone else."

"Weawy?" Sammy asked as he looked between his uncle and his daddy. Seeing his daddy's nod, he looked at Bobby and saw the older man's agreement to. "Ok Uncle Sammy… I's sowwy." He said as he scrambled into Sam's lap and gave him as big of a hug as he dared.

Although Dean had been sure that Sam would have been happy, he saw the tears forming in his brother's eyes and wondered about it until it hit him – Dee. 'Well Hell.'

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As the day turned into evening and later into night, Sammy had become quieter – to the point of being solemn, and it was starting to worry the rest of the men. Finally Dean couldn't stand it any longer and he pulled his little boy onto his lap.

"Hey little dude, what's got you so upset?" he asked as held Sammy close. He saw his brother's worry and knew that he'd noticed the change in the boy as well.

Sammy tried to hide his face in his daddy's shirt, but would occasionally peek around and look at his uncle before hiding his face again. Feeling his chin being brought up so he could look into his daddy's face, he finally whispered, "I's don' tink Uncle Sammy 'members me."

Confused, Dean looked down at Sammy in shock before turning towards his brother and Bobby. Looking back down to the sad little face, he asked, "What do you mean? How does he remember you?"

Looking at his daddy in completely shock, he gasped out, "F'om He'ven Daddy!"

Hearing what this little boy thought, all three men sat in stunned silence for a moment before they looked at him in shock. The silence reined for several moments before Sam stood and slowly made his way to the chair next to his brother and nephew.

"Sammy, I know I don't seem like what you've imagined, but I'm hoping you'll like me anyways." Sam said quietly as he placed his hand on the boy's head, hoping that he wouldn't scare him anymore than he probably was. "Can you give me a little bit of time? Maybe then I'll be more like myself, ok?"

Dean waited a moment, sure that they were about to witness a true Sammy meltdown, but was surprised when the little boy in his lap looked at Sam carefully before nodding and going into Sam's lap as if he belonged there. Surprised, he watched as his brother and son shared a moment while he and Bobby sat and watched quietly.

It didn't take long for Sammy to fall asleep, leaving Dean no choice but to take the small boy upstairs and tuck him in early. When he got back downstairs, he saw Bobby pointing towards the front porch. Nodding in acknowledgement, he walked through the door and sat next to his brother in a wooden rocker that for the life of him he couldn't remember ever seeing before.

"So… that was something, huh?" he asked as Sam handed him a cold beer. He wondered about the silence until Sam began to speak and then he wished he could find a way to bring the quiet back.

"When Lilith was pulling me out, it wasn't pleasant. In fact, it felt worse than anything else than I've ever felt or will probably ever feel again. But all through that, I still don't know exactly why it hurt so much – the actual effort it took to pull me through, or the shock from being someplace peaceful, if not completely confusing, into the chaos that she ripped me into." Sam began quietly. He knew he'd never be able to fully express what he felt that day, but with Sammy's questions, he knew he needed to try to make Dean understand. "While I was… wherever, I was able to see so much. It was like seeing every path in our lives and where it could have, or would lead to."

"Sammy…" Dean began, pained at the thought of his little brother seeing his perfect alternate life but not able to participate in it. He was surprised when Sam shook his head sadly.

"No Dean, you don't understand… while I was there, it didn't hurt… and now, now it's fading. It was… amazing Dean. I saw all of us in Lawrence – Mom, Dad, you and me. Not every life was happy, but this one… this one I wish I could remember forever. We were happy, really happy. Dad still had the garage, Mom was teaching at the Elementary school, you were an electronics engineer and I was still in school to become a child psychologist. Every holiday we spent at home, while every weekend we talked on the phone. We were making plans that after I finished my degree you were going to help me find a place to fix up so we all could be close together." Sam paused and looked towards his brother in the dark. "I know that djinn showed you something completely different, and I'm not saying I there weren't others that was close to that… but that's the one I want you to hold on to for me, 'cause I don't think I can do it for much longer. Already, the memories are fading, and…"

Dean couldn't stand it anymore; he rose from his chair and made his way in front of his brother. Squatting down, he looked into Sam's face intently. "Sammy, I'll remember… I swear to you, I will. Just don't give up, ok? I know this is hard, and I'm so sorry I couldn't give you Dee, but…"

"What? No… Dean… that's not it. Sure, I love Dee… but I also know that she's where she's supposed to be. She's happy, she's healthy, and I now know without a doubt that she has her whole family with her. I couldn't take her away from that."

Puzzled, Dean nodded before asking, "Ok, but why were you upset at lunch when Sammy gave you a hug?"

Sam smiled, "Because Dean, I saw him when he was born… I saw you, or your other you, name him after _me_. You did that to remember me, and I'll always remember _that_."

Sitting back on his heels, Dean thought about it a moment and finally understood. With everything that had been going on lately, it was easy to forget how much they meant to each other. "Yeah, well, who else would I name him after? He was obviously my best friend, just like you are."

Smirking through his tears, Sam gave his brother a watery smile and allowed the moment to pass quietly as his brother sat in his chair once again. He thought that the conversation was over until Dean surprised him once again.

"You know, technically it took two dads to raise you… me and Dad. I figure it's only fair for little Sammy to have the same chance."


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Ok, this is the last chapter of this story... don't worry, for those of you who were hoping for it, yes... there will be a sequel, I just don't know when I'll start on it but keep a lookout for Sammy's Two Daddy's. Hope you all like this, let me know!

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Dean stood in the doorway and looked at the bed in front of him. If it was anyone else, he'd be jealous, but since it was his two Sammy's, he didn't have it in him to get upset at the two bodies curled into each other on the bed. He remembered when little Sammy crawled away from him and went to Sam, it had been only a moment after his brother had started moving around in his sleep and a half second before he was going to get out of bed and wake him. Now, looking at both of them, he knew that his alter self did the right thing; here, Sammy had a chance – a small one, but still a chance.

"So, you going to wake them, or stare at them all day?" Bobby asked quietly as he walked along the hallway. He had insisted that the boys stay another night since Sam still looked like he was expecting someone to jump out and tell him this was a joke, it was unnerving to watch while at the same time understandable. "For someone in an all fire hurry to leave yesterday, you sure are dragging your feet today."

Nodding, Dean looked at the other man and motioned away from the door. "Yeah, I know Bobby. Sorry about the delay, it's just…"

"Bad night… yeah kid, I get it. Don't think I'm kicking you boys out… I'm not. I just want to make sure you know what you want before you get out there with your boy and your brother and get into more trouble I have to bail you out of."

"Yeah, yeah… love you too Bobby." Sam said sleepily from the doorway as he made his way towards the bathroom, his little shadow right on his heels. "C'mon Sammy, let's get ready while these two start breaking out in song, ok?"

Startled by the comeback, neither Dean nor Bobby could think of anything to say for a moment, then Dean could only reply, "Smart ass," before turning towards the stairs to pack the Impala – it was time to get back to work.

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The afternoon was beginning to fade and so was Dean's confidence in this plan. Then again… who was he kidding, he didn't have a plan anymore than he had a house and a white picket fence. What he did have was a little boy who'd seen way too much, and a brother who survived facing true evil – he couldn't ask for anything else.

As Bobby stood by the car, he tried not to think about what they could be facing on their own. Right now, he wanted to enjoy the seemingly normal moment in their lives. An uncle seeing his nephews off on a road trip across America. Yeah, sure… easier said than done.

"You two idgits better bring that boy back soon for a visit… better yet, send him and you two knuckleheads can keep doing whatever your doing at the time." Bobby groused as he looked at the two in the front seat sternly, but softened his face when he caught little Sammy's gaze. "You don't hesitate to call anytime, ok Sammy?"

"K, Uncle Bobby!" Sammy exclaimed from his booster car seat. He had been able to pick it out when his daddy and uncle went to get supplies, and he liked it since he could actually look out the window just like a grown up!

Smiling, Sam looked in the backseat and fondly watched little Sammy pull out a new sketchpad from his backpack. He hadn't been shocked to find out that his brother had done that for him, but had been surprised at how fast the boy had taken to it. 'Something to think about.' He thought as he had a fleeting memory of…something…

"Hey there… Spaceboy! You ready to get a move on or have you already left us behind?" Dean asked as he poked Sam in the ribs. It still freaked him out when he would see his brother stare off into space like that; it made him worry that Sam would stay gone permanently this time.

"Huh? Oh… yeah, right… sorry. I thought… uh… nevermind, I'm ready when you are." Sam said as he waved farewell to Bobby and adjusted himself into the seat better. He didn't know what would happen, but he was glad he was with his family.

The sound of Blue Oyster Cult's 'Don't Fear the Reaper' drifted through the car an hour away from Bobby's alerting Dean of Lillian's call. Worried that something else was going on, he quickly answered and didn't say anything before closing his phone and pressing harder on the accelerator. He didn't need to look to tell that both Sammy's were watching him curiously. "Lillian's in trouble."

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The plan was simple – pull up to the house, drop Dean off, drive around the town for fifteen minutes before doubling back. It shouldn't have been that hard. Unfortunately, since he didn't know his way around the town it was hard to figure out which road went through and which ones were dead ends – oh, and the parade to begin one of the county's many festivals was kicking off too – great. So by the time he and little Sammy had gotten back to Dean, no one was happy; too bad they were for different reasons.

Dean got in the car and wished he could forget what he saw, what he heard. Now though it was stuck in him like a twisted knife and he had no idea how he was going to get it out. Sighing, he directed Sam to drive until they needed to fill up the Impala – he had some thinking to do.

Sam knew it had to have been bad for Dean to keep him in the driver's seat even though he wasn't a hundred percent yet, but he also knew that his brother kept his own time schedule so he would have to wait until they stopped – he knew Dean would tell him then.

It took longer than normal before they had to stop and then it was with great relief that they found a halfway decent motor inn across from a gas station. After filling up the gas tank, then checking in, both brothers were more than ready to settle Sammy down for the night and have that discussion that had been weighing on Dean's mind for the last several hours. With dinner being a quick delivered pizza, and the fastest bath in the history of little boys, Sammy was sound asleep before prime time television had even gotten into full swing.

Sighing, Dean watched his little boy sleep and wished things could be different. Knowing he owed Sam an explanation, he turned and ran his fingers through his hair. "Lilith got to the Lillians. Ours died in the face off, but the other one… she was able to hang on… warn us." Feeling tortured, he turned his eyes back to his son, then his brother. "Sammy, she wants you bad… but she wants him more. Either way, I'm screwed man." He said, practically choking on the words. He had no idea at the moment what to do, he couldn't lose either one of them.

"Dean, it's ok. We'll do what Dad did – keep moving when it becomes too dangerous and figure out how to destroy her. I'm not letting her get him – not now, not ever!" Sam said firmly. He knew that he was freaking his brother out, but right now their top priority was keeping Sammy safe – no matter what.

"Can't do this without you little brother." Dean said quietly as he could feel his throat closing on him at the thought of doing this without Sam.

Sam smiled, "You could, but you don't want to." He said as he looked at Dean. He wasn't sure at first if he'd get the reaction he was looking for, but finally Dean smirked before pulling Sam into a light headlock and ruffled his brother's hair.

"Yeah, alright smart ass. We do this together, we do this for Sammy… we stay safe, we stay smart, then when we're ready, we hunt Lilith and take that bitch down."

Both brothers in agreement looked back to the bed furthest from the door and watched as the torch was passed from one generation to the next.


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